There’s been a lot of discussion over the years regarding Kneecap, and I thought I’d add my tuppence worth to the debate. From the outset, I’ll say I’m not a fan, nor am I someone the band is particularly aimed at — but I want to offer a Unionist perspective on their polarising influence.
Current Controversies
The current issues swirling around Kneecap centre on several deeply controversial statements and actions. Among them: the line “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP,” and footage from last year showing a band member shouting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” — both groups banned and defined as terrorist organisations in the UK. A tweet this year featured their balaclava-clad DJ Próvaí reading Hezbollah literature, and following the October 7th Hamas attack, there were distasteful tweets from both Kneecap and their manager.
Unsurprisingly, this has triggered a significant backlash, mostly from outside Northern Ireland, including politicians, commentators, and even the Metropolitan Police, who’ve said that after an initial review, “there is ground for further investigation.”
The band, their manager Daniel Lambert, and their supporters have claimed this is the first time they’ve received such criticism — arguing they’re victims of a Zionist witch hunt for speaking out against Israel and in support of Palestine, especially following their recent Coachella appearance.
But this claim doesn’t hold water. Plenty of artists including Green Day, Darkside, and others — have spoken out in support of Palestine at Coachella without facing the same backlash, largely because they didn’t endorse proscribed terrorist organisations or call for politicians to be killed.
Previous Criticism
It’s also untrue to suggest that criticism of Kneecap is new. Unionists in Northern Ireland have been calling them out since at least 2019, when the late Christopher Stalford of the DUP spoke against their “Brits out” messaging. Over the years, they’ve consistently drawn Unionist ire. DJ Próvaí, modelled on the Provisional IRA, hardly wins Unionist goodwill. Add in the repeated “Brits out,” “f*** the British,” derogatory references to Northern Ireland, and leading frequent chants of “Up the Ra,” and it’s easy to see why tensions persist.
When Unionists criticise Kneecap, it’s usually ignored, ridiculed, waved off as harmless art or dismissed as part of a witch hunt. Sound familiar? So far, they’ve faced little real consequence for their provocations.
Palestine as Cover?
More recently, critics of Kneecap — including Unionists — have been accused of supporting genocide in Gaza, which is simply false. While some Unionist politicians support Israel and the community overwhelmingly opposes Hamas, you’d struggle to find a Unionist who supports the killing of innocent Palestinians. I, for one, fully support raising awareness about Palestinian suffering, and I am far from a lone voice among Unionists on this.
The problem is that Kneecap, in typical fashion, have made it all about themselves. Their pro-Hamas remarks and inappropriate tweets, which have at times trivialised the conflict, have bastardised their own message about Palestine. It’s hard not to conclude that Palestine has become a convenient shield for the band to deflect justified criticism.
Legal Precedents and Double Standards
Another concern is their “kill your local MP” line — which has clear legal precedent. Earlier this year, Richard McGreevy received a three-and-a-half-year sentence for threatening Mary Lou McDonald, while Lucy Connolly was jailed for a social media post calling for hotels housing migrants to be burned. If Kneecap avoid judicial scrutiny, they’ll be seen as establishment-aligned shills above the law; if they’re prosecuted, there’ll be cries of political bias.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think they’ll be jailed, nor do I think they should be. But I do think they should be held accountable for their actions. They’re an act that thrives on controversy, sowing division, but until now they’ve largely dodged responsibility. Their recent half-hearted “apology” came across as weak and was dismissed by many, including the families of two murdered MPs. Some fans even suggested Kneecap had knee-jerked at the first sign of trouble — suddenly less like edgy rebels, more like frightened boys. And on that note, let’s stop calling them “kids”: DJ Próvaí is around 40, and the others are in their 30s. They’re old enough to take responsibility for their actions.
Another contradiction: if their shocking statements are “just humour,” why should we take their political messaging seriously? Kneecap’s logic feels muddled and it can be difficult at times to judge what is satire and what is political activism.
False Narratives
The band and its supporters often claim that Kneecap is all about “love and respect,” that there’s nothing truly controversial about them. But this simply isn’t true. The band’s raison d’etre is controversy, it’s what pays their bills. They go out of its way to sow division, frequently punching down on Unionism, and seems to hold a particular hostility toward it. Many of their statements and chants, even outside their performances, are highly toxic.
Furthermore, while the band has been boasting about high-profile support since the backlash, some of those so-called “supporters,” once contacted, were unclear on what they were actually backing. Kevin Rowland from Dexys Midnight Runners, for example, said on BBC Good Morning Ulster that he signed a letter defending Kneecap but admitted, “I don’t know much about it, I don’t know how the industry works.” It seems at least some of Kneecap’s support base isn’t fully aware of what the band stands for — they’re simply jumping on a bandwagon.
Unionist Voices in the Arts
There’s valid frustration within Unionism that a similar act on the loyalist side would never be allowed to go mainstream. Young Spencer, who opened for Kneecap at the SSE, is no meaningful comparison — most people in Northern Ireland don’t even know who he is.
Imagine a band called Shankill Slaughterers, glorifying criminality, chanting “Up the UVF,” and singing “Up to our necks in Fenian blood,” cheered on by local politicians, professors, teachers, barristers, and the media. It simply wouldn’t happen. They’d be ostracised from the start, police would get involved, and their employers would likely dismiss them. If proof is needed, just watch how many who defend Kneecap’s “art” will soon turn to criticise loyalist parades, eagerly pouncing on any misdemeanours.
This raises another worry: that some loyalists might now feel tempted to “outdo” Kneecap in the controversy stakes. Where’s the line? If “Up Hamas,” “f*** the Brits,” and “kill your local MP” are excused as art, then why isn’t “Up to your necks in Fenian blood” or “No Pope here” classified the same way? There’s a genuine concern that this casual sectarianism on both sides could escalate.
A Cultural Imbalance
One underlying grievance within Unionism is the lack of a Unionist voice in the arts and comedy world, while a controversial act like Kneecap can go mainstream. There’s almost nothing presenting a Unionist perspective that’s authentic and nuanced. When Unionist characters do appear, they’re often reduced to the worst imaginable stereotypes.
In 2019, Steve Coogan included “Come Out, Ye Black and Tans” in his Alan Partridge show, testing whether he could get away with a rebel song — no backlash; people found it funny. But when James Nesbitt did an impromptu rendition of “The Sash” on Cold Feet, there was a flood of complaints. It’s a familiar pattern: Unionism is portrayed as the aggressor, eliciting little sympathy, and many media outlets shy away from any sympathetic portrayal. This imbalance leaves the arts world poorer — and if, in 2025, there is still no room for a humanised Unionist portrayal, it’s a damning indictment of the industry. Unionists have every right to feel aggrieved on this point.
Final Thoughts
As for Kneecap, they’ll keep doing what they do — and their coffers will keep filling. But if they continue to provoke, they can’t complain when they face backlash. Nor should their supporters act astonished or defensive when criticism arrives.
I remain unconvinced by Kneecap’s supposed humanitarian activism; it seems more like a cloak of convenience to deflect justified criticism. Still, if they do profit from all this, perhaps they could donate some of that loot to the causes they claim to support.
Discover more from Slugger O'Toole
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
